


Strays

by nosenuzzling



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-02
Updated: 2014-10-02
Packaged: 2018-02-19 15:56:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2394329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nosenuzzling/pseuds/nosenuzzling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas is living in the bunker with Sam and Dean which is great except... Cas keeps bringing home stray animals. Which is so not gonna fly with Dean.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strays

Dean is stoked that Cas is living with them. He got to pick out his own bedroom, which is just down the hall from Dean's. He goes on hunts with them, researches with Sammy, eagerly learns how to shoot a gun. It's fun having his best friend room with them. Especially now that his best friend is human. 

One thing Dean didn't expect, however, is the fact that Cas apparently _loves_ animals. 

He should have seen this coming, he supposes. What with the whole _bee_ obsession Cas had goin on, it only makes sense that he would adore any living creature. 

The first thing Cas brings home is a cat. A large grey tabby that hisses when Dean walks into the room. His fur is all matted and he looks disgruntled that Cas is clutching him tightly, but doesn't seem to have the energy to wiggle himself away. 

Dean jumps back from the angry animal. "What the hell is _that_?"

"I've named him Thomas," Cas says. "I found him out by the dumpster."

"Cas, buddy, we can't have a cat in here."

Thomas glares at Dean as if he can understand what's being said, and Cas just _stares_ , looking heartbroken. But Dean is not going to budge on this. 

"Look," he says, "He can stay for the night. I think we have tuna or something in the cabinets we can feed him. And then in the morning he's going straight to animal shelter. Capiche?" 

Cas holds the cat closer, petting his head. "Yeah, I capiche." 

"Good." Dean nods and looks at the cat wearily. "Just don't let that thing get in my room." 

\--

The second thing Cas brings home is a puppy. A friggin _puppy_. Which Sam finds to be hilarious. 

"He's so cute, Dean," Sam says, playing with the puppy on the floor. 

"Where did you even find him?" Dean asks. 

"Outside the grocery store," Cas explains, reaches down to scratch the puppy's ears. "He was scrounging for scraps and I couldn't just leave him." 

"Yeah, you could've."

" _Dean_ ," Sam snaps. 

"We can't have a _dog_ , Sammy." 

Cas looks between them, eyes hopeful, like maybe Sam will be on his side and they might get to keep the dog. But Sam sighs. "Dean's right, Cas. We're not home nearly enough to have a puppy. And there's no way we have the time to train him properly." 

"It's settled then," Dean says and picks up the keys from the table. "We're taking him to the shelter." 

Cas sighs a _fine_ and scoops up the puppy in his arms. The puppy wiggles and licks his face. "I know," Cas tells him, sounding sincerely apologetic. "I'm sorry, little guy." 

Dean doesn't know if he feels bad for the puppy or for Cas. 

\--

Next is a bunny. Dean's doing "research" online when he sees something small move out of the corner of his eye. He looks over and there's a little floppy eared bunny bouncing into the kitchen. 

And shortly following him, there's Cas, obviously trying to catch him, but the bunny keeps hopping out his reach. 

"Where in the world--"

Cas finally scoops up the bunny. "I found him outside in the grass."

"Yeah, cause he's a wild bunny who _lives_ out there," Dean says. "He probably has a _family_ outside in the grass." And good God when did he become such a sap for animals? 

Cas looks thoughtful and holds the bunny up to look at him, almost nose to nose, and says, "I wish I could talk to him, but I can't talk to animals ever since I lost my angel powers."

Dean watches him. "I know you want to help but. You can't help everyone." 

"I know." Cas sighs. "I'll go put him back outside."

Dean watches him leave the room. If they had different lives, if they weren't leaving the bunker for days, sometimes weeks at time, he probably wouldn't mind if Cas had a pet. But as it is, this is just not the right environment for one. 

\--

There are lizards and more cats and dogs and even a couple _bugs_ that Cas lets in. Though sometimes Dean thinks he just found the bugs in there, named them, and then didn't want to let Sam or Dean squish them. 

Then one day, Dean comes home and there's a fully grown German Shepherd sitting _on his bed_.

" _Cas_!" he yells and not even two second later, Cas comes running around the corner, almost slipping in his haste to get the dog. 

"Sorry, Dean, sorry! She got away from me!" He scrambles to grab the dog by the scruff and pull her off the bed.

"That's it," Dean stomps over to swipe at his blanket where there's now dog fur all over. "No more strays, Cas, I mean it!"

"This one isn't a stray," Cas says, quickly trying to explain. "She has a collar. She just got lost. I'm taking her back home now."

" _Right_ now."

"Right now," Cas agrees, nodding and smiling, like that will calm Dean down. He leaves the room, bent over a little so he can keep hold of the giant dog's collar. And that's when Dean sees Sam standing outside his room, laughing his ass off. 

"Shut up, Sam!" Dean yells at him and slams the door closed. 

Great, now he has to clean his comforter. 

\--

Dean finds Cas later, sitting at one of the tables, reading a book. He sits across from him and waits till Cas looks up. 

"I'm sorry you can't have a pet here." 

Cas nods. "I know. Even though you try to hide it behind frustration and anger, I know you feel bad about constantly saying no." 

Dean shifts in his seat. Cas surprises him sometimes with how well he knows Dean, no matter how often it happens. 

"Well anyway," Dean clears his throat. "Maybe someday. If we're ever able to retire from all this crap. We can find a house somewhere, settle down, get you some damn pets so you'll stop bringing home strays."

"That sounds nice," Cas smiles. "We can get a dog?"

"Yeah," Dean nods. "We can get a dog."

They settle back into companionable silence and Dean tries to imagine it. He wonders how _this_ happened, that he can so easily imagine Cas still in their lives, twenty years in the future. Living with him and Sam, in a house. With a dog. 

Sammy would like that. 


End file.
